Recycling of infusion capsules

Abstract

To provide a device for supporting recycling of an infusion capsule for a single serving.SOLUTION: A recycling device of an infusion capsule comprises a base unit 10 and a plunger 44. The base unit has a face having an aperture 26 for receiving a body part 36 of a capsule 34, and a portion of the face surrounding the aperture has a surface undulating in the longitudinal direction with respect to a central axis through the aperture. The plunger has a projection 52 sized to fit within the aperture. The capsule can be placed on the base unit over the aperture with a rim side thereof down. The plunger is used to urge the capsule down into the aperture. The result is that the capsule is inverted, a foil layer is ruptured and coffee or other infusion is discharged into the base unit below the aperture.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for assisting in the recycling of single-serve infusion capsules. [Background technology]

[0002] Single-serve containers have become a very popular method of making coffee and other infusions. The containers generally contain enough coffee for one serving and are used with a suitable machine that uses the container to extract the infusion. Single-serve coffee containers can reduce the time required to brew the coffee and simplify the brewing process by eliminating the need to measure servings, flavorings, and additives from large bulk containers. The containers also help keep unused product fresh by individually packaging the servings separately without exposing the entire supply batch to air and light.

[0003] For coffee, containers currently come in many forms. Coffee pods are ground coffee beans prepackaged in their own filter. Coffee bags mimic tea bags and consist of a gauze bag containing a mixture of instant coffee and finely ground roasted coffee, which is steeped in boiling water for about three minutes. Coffee capsules include a plastic or aluminum package that contains coffee (instead of a paper filter) and are usually designed for use with a single brand or system, and are often not compatible with other systems. An example of a coffee capsule is shown in US Pat. No. 5,399,633.

[0004] Paper coffee pods, such as those used in the "Easy Serving Espresso Pod" ("ESE Pod") and Senseo® machines, have the advantage of being fully biodegradable products that can break down naturally. Plastic and / or metal capsules, such as those used in Keurig®, Tassimo® and Nespresso® machines, are generally not recyclable, as they often consist of a mixture of plastic, aluminum and organic material (used coffee) that makes them difficult to recycle. As a result, in 2016 the city of Hamburg, Germany banned the use of coffee capsules in state-owned buildings for environmental reasons.

[0005] Capsules generally have defined standard dimensions that allow them to fit and function reliably in a variety of compatible machines. Where compatible capsules are available from multiple sources, the various manufacturers generally aim to closely adhere to the standard dimensions of the capsule system in question to ensure that their capsules fit and function reliably.

[0006] Nowpresso, a company located in Kowloon, Hong Kong, has proposed a recycling device that can separate some elements of a particular capsule. As shown at https: / / nowpresso.com / , the recycling device consists of a base with an opening sized to allow a standard aluminum Nespresso® capsule to be positioned over the opening and supported by its periphery on a flat annular surface surrounding the opening. A plunger is provided that presses the capsule against the annular surface, crushing and inverting the aluminum capsule and expelling the spent coffee grounds into a receptacle below, leaving only the aluminum behind. The two elements of the capsule can then be recycled separately. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] European Patent Application Publication No. 0512148 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The present invention seeks to improve upon the Nowpresso device, which generally only works with silicone sealed capsules and is unable to accommodate other capsule designs, particularly those that use an inherently more recirculatable seal configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] Thus, the present invention provides a device for separating infusion capsules, comprising a base unit and a plunger, the base unit having a surface with an opening for receiving a body portion of the capsule, a portion of the surface surrounding the opening having a longitudinally undulating surface relative to a central axis passing through the opening, and the plunger including a protrusion sized to fit into the opening.

[0010] The capsule can be placed peripheral side down over the opening of the base unit, and a plunger is used to push the capsule down into the opening. This causes the capsule to invert, rupture the foil layer, and eject the coffee or other infusion into the base unit below the opening. The coffee (etc.) and capsule can then be removed and recycled separately. The undulating surface ensures that the peripheral portion of the capsule is distorted during this process, which helps to separate the layers provided by the sealant, for example. Some capsules have a corrugated periphery and are sealed with silicone or a similar composition. Other more recyclable capsules use a paper seal that allows the capsule to be separated by the device of the invention and thus each element to be properly recycled.

[0011] To help hold the capsule in place during the process, a portion of said surface is preferably horizontal in a radial direction relative to the central axis. The undulations are therefore longitudinal, preferably including at least one section that is helical relative to the central axis. The other sections, which are preferably included, are substantially perpendicular to the surface. It is particularly preferred that, overall, the surface includes at least one portion that is, in turn, composed of a subsection that is substantially perpendicular to the surface, a subsection that is helical relative to the central axis in a first direction, a subsection that is helical relative to the central axis in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a subsection that is substantially perpendicular to the surface. Ideally, the surface includes two such portions, which can be separated by two flat sections, preferably arranged rotationally symmetrically around the central axis.

[0012] The face can be one or more upstanding ridges that surround a portion of said face. The ridges serve to precisely position the capsule over the opening and prevent the capsule from spreading outward during the process. Thus, the ridges are ideally positioned to surround the periphery of a standard size infusion capsule.

[0013] The opening is preferably circular, since most capsules are circularly symmetrical. The opening should be sized to accommodate the body of a standard size infusion capsule, but not its outer periphery.

[0014] The protrusion (of the plunger) is preferably sized such that when fully inserted through the opening it extends beyond the face a distance that is no greater than the depth of a standard size infusion capsule, but a substantial portion of that depth. This results in the plunger inverting the capsule substantially completely when pressed, expelling as much of the contents of the infusion capsule as possible without causing some of the contents to become trapped in creases within the capsule material. This also means that emptied capsules can be stacked, reducing the space required for storage while awaiting recycling.

[0015] The protrusion also preferably has a concave tip for contacting the brewing capsule, which causes the top of the capsule to self-center in the middle of the plunger, meaning the capsule is properly aligned and the inversion process is more consistent.

[0016] Infusion capsules typically contain ground coffee, but the invention can be applied to capsules containing other infusions. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Figure 1] 1 shows a vertical section through a base unit of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 shows the lid of the base unit of FIG. 1 as viewed from above. [Diagram 3] 3 shows a cross section through the lid taken along line III-III of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 6 shows a cross section through the lid, base unit, and plunger at VI-VI in FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] 1 shows the lid, base unit and plunger of the present invention after operation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] FIG. 1 shows in cross section a base unit 10 according to the present invention. A hollow cup-shaped container 12 is generally cylindrical and has a closed lower surface 14 and an open upper surface 16. A lid 18 is placed over the open upper surface 16. The lid 18 is circular to fit the cylindrical shape of the container. The lid 18 has a downwardly depending skirt 20. The skirt 20 is cylindrical, is disposed concentrically about the lid 18, and is sized to fit over the container 12. Alternatively, if the container 12 is not cylindrical, the skirt 20 may be correspondingly or otherwise appropriately shaped for placing the lid 18 on the container 12. Alternatively, or in addition, the skirt 20 may be placed around the outside of the container 12. A set of projections (not shown) on the outer surface of the skirt 20 locate within doglegged keyways 22 on the inner surface of the container 12, allowing the lid 18 to be releasably secured in place on the container 12. In this case there are two protrusions arranged symmetrically opposite each other, but this can be changed.

[0019] The lid 18 has an outer perimeter 24 that helps contain spilled materials and provides additional rigidity to the lid 18. The outer perimeter 24 extends upwardly from the outer edge of the lid 18 and is cylindrical in shape. The outer perimeter 24 can be a different shape or can be omitted.

[0020] The lid 18 also has a central opening 26, which can also be seen in FIG. 2. The central opening 26 is circular and is arranged concentrically in the lid 18. This arrangement is not required, but makes the device easier to operate. The opening is surrounded by a pair of upstanding ridges 28, 30 which (together) surround about 75% of the opening 26, leaving a pair of radially opposed gaps between the ridges 28, 30 for the remainder. Generally, the ridges 28, 30 should occupy at least about 70% of the circumference around the opening 26.

[0021] FIG. 4 shows the complete device in cross section with a standard Nespresso® compatible capsule 34 in place over the opening 26. These capsules 34 follow a standard set of dimensions that are generally known and established by the creator of the design. To be compatible, the capsule 34 must adhere to these dimensions in order to fit correctly in a compatible brewing machine and operate correctly and safely. It can therefore be assured that the dimensions of the capsule 34 are predictable. If other infusion capsule systems exist and a person skilled in the art wishes to design a device to fit such systems, appropriate changes can be made to the dimensions of the device.

[0022] From Figure 4 it is clear that the capsule 34 has a tapered body portion 36 which terminates at its widest point in a flange 38 onto which a foil lid 40 is secured, and at its narrowest point in a closed dome portion. The body portion 36 is made of a thin aluminum sheet and a thin aluminum foil lid 40 sealed onto the flange. The sealing process can be accomplished in a variety of ways, such as by an adhesive between the flange 38 and the lid 40, or by wrapping the lid 40 around the flange 38 and applying a ring of adhesive tape 42 over the flange 38 and lid 40.

[0023] 4 also shows that the opening 26 is sized to receive the body portion 36 of the capsule 34, but not the flange 38. Thus, when the capsule 34 is placed body-side up over the opening 26, it rests on the edge of the opening 26 and is supported by the flange 38. The ridges 28, 30 are positioned to immediately surround the flange 38, thereby enabling the capsule 34 to be precisely positioned concentrically over the opening 26 and held in place.

[0024] FIG. 4 also shows the plunger unit 44. The plunger unit 44 is comprised of an inverted cylindrical cup portion 46 that is shaped and sized to fit over and around the container 12. The plunger unit 44 has a top lid 48. The top lid 48 supports a concentric ring 50 that acts as a stop that limits the distance that the plunger 44 can be depressed onto the base unit 10. Eventually, the ring 50 contacts the lid 18, preventing further travel. At the center of the plunger 44 is a protrusion 52 that is sized to fit into the opening 26 and is centrally located on the plunger 44 to pass through the opening 26. The tip of the protrusion 52 has a concave recess 54 that is sized to fit into the dome portion of the top of the capsule 34. Thus, the plunger 44 can be placed on the base unit 10 with the capsule 34 in place as described above, and the plunger is depressed to bring the protrusion into contact with the capsule 34. This causes the projection 52 to rupture the foil lid 40 and invert the body portion 36, expelling the contents 56 of the capsule 34 into the container 12, as shown in FIG.

[0025] The working length of the projection 52, i.e., the height H of the projection 52 above the ring 50 (or any portion of the plunger 44 that limits its downward movement on the base unit 10), is less than the overall height of the standard size capsule 34 by a small margin. Thus, the working length H is a substantial portion of the capsule's height. This ensures that the capsule is fully inverted and expels as much of the contents 56 as possible. The concave recess 54 and the ridges 28, 30 each help ensure that the capsule 34 remains in the proper position during its inversion. Thus, the tapered nature of the capsule 34 means that the resultant force at the flange 38 is generally outward, and thus the flange is effectively restrained by the surrounding ridges 28, 30. At the top of the capsule 34, the concave recess 54 holds the dome portion of the capsule 34, preventing it from moving laterally and keeping the capsule precisely aligned.

[0026] Between the opening 26 and the ridges 28, 30 is a support ledge 58 on which the flange 38 rests (top view). The dotted line 60 in FIG. 2 indicates the extent of the support ledge 58 in the gap between the ridges 28, 30. In accordance with the present invention, this support ledge 58 is not flat. It has been found that by providing a non-flat support ledge 58, the flange is destroyed or distorted during the inversion process, thereby separating the adhesive tape 42, which is placed on the flange 38 as a seal, from the flange 38. After the inversion process is completed, as a result of the non-flatness of the support ledge 58, the adhesive tape 42 will usually peel away from the remainder of the capsule. As a result, the capsule is effectively separated into three material components. The contents 56 are in the container 12, the aluminum portion is placed over the opening 26, and the adhesive tape is loosely placed over the aluminum portion. Thus, separation of the materials for recycling is easy.

[0027] The particular non-flat shape of the support shelf 58 shown in the embodiment of Figures 1-5 includes a bi-helical slope on the inside of each of the upstanding ridges 28, 30. This slope causes the shelf 58 to be highest adjacent the ends of the ridges 28, 30 (Figure 3) and lowest at the midpoint of the ridges 28, 30 (Figure 4). Thus, at the ends of the ridges 28, 30, the shelf 58 is approximately half the height of the ridges 28, 30. At the midpoint, the shelf 58 is flush with the remainder of the exterior surface of the lid 18 opposite the ridges 28, 30. In areas other than the ridges, i.e., in the gaps between the ridges 28, 30, the shelf 58 is flat and flush with the remainder of the exterior surface of the lid 18.

[0028] As a result, the non-flat shape of the shelf 58 consists, in this embodiment, of a subsection 62 next to the gap between the ridges 28, 30 that is flat and flush with the remainder of the exterior surface of the lid 18, followed by a substantially upright section 64 (relative to the surface of the lid 18) that raises the height of the shelf 58 (moving around the opening 26) to about half the height of the ridge 28, and then a subsection 66 that spirals down (relative to a central axis through the opening 26) to a midpoint along the ridge 28 where the shelf 58 is again flush with the remainder of the exterior surface of the lid 18. This is followed by a subsection 68 that spirals up relative to the central axis, terminating in a subsection 70 that is substantially upright relative to the lid 18 and that descends so that the shelf is flush with the remainder of the exterior surface of the lid 18. The shelf is then flat and horizontal at the second gap between the ridges 28, 30, and the pattern is repeated adjacent the remaining ridge 30.

[0029] Of course, other non-flat shelf 58 configurations are possible. For example, a wave-like or sawtooth pattern may be provided. The pattern may be continuous around the opening, or the spacing may be located other than in the gaps between the upstanding ridges 28, 30. Similarly, the upstanding ridges 28, 30 may have more, less, or no gaps. However, the above-described configurations shown in Figures 1-5 have been found to be easy to manufacture and effective in separating the elements of capsule 34.

[0030] Of course, it will be appreciated that many modifications can be made to the above described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for separating brewing capsules, comprising a base unit and a plunger, The base unit has a surface with an opening for receiving the body of the infusion capsule, and a portion of the surface surrounding the opening has a surface that is vertically undulating with respect to a central axis passing through the opening; the plunger includes a projection sized to fit within the opening; The device, wherein the surface includes at least one section that is helical relative to the central axis.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the surface is horizontal and radial to the central axis.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the surface includes at least one section that is upright relative to the face.

4. The surface, in turn, a subsection upright relative to said surface; a subsection that is helical with respect to the central axis in a first direction; a subsection that is helical about the central axis in a second direction opposite the first direction; a subsection perpendicular to said surface; The device of claim 1 , comprising at least one portion consisting of:

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the surface comprises two of the portions.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the two portions are separated by two flat sections.

7. The device of claim 5 , wherein the two portions are rotationally symmetrically arranged about the central axis.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the face has one or more upstanding ridges circumscribing a portion of the face.

9. 9. The device of claim 8, wherein said upstanding ridges are positioned to surround the periphery of a standard size infusion capsule.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the opening is circular.

11. 10. The device of claim 1, wherein the opening is sized to receive the body of a standard size infusion capsule but not the outer periphery of a standard size infusion capsule.

12. 10. The device of claim 1, wherein the protrusion is sized such that when fully inserted through the opening, it extends beyond the face a distance no greater than the depth of a standard size infusion capsule.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion has a concave tip for contacting the infusion capsule.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the infusion capsule contains ground coffee.

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